William



W. .l. LEGAT & J. T. DUGAN.

CLOSURE FOR GARBAGE RECEPTACLES AND THE LIKE.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV;15, 1915.

1,195A8L Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

I 11 J0 J6 2 the cover plate for the same having an I UNITE @TATEg PATENT WILLIAM J. LEG-AT AND JOHN T. DUGAN, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug, 22, 1%16.

Application filed November 15, 1915. Serial No. 61,628.

provements in receptacles, and more particularly to improvements in operating devices for closures ofgarbage receptacles and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a foot actuated mechanism for op erating the lid or closure of a garbage or other receptacle, whereby' the lid or closure may be easily and quickly opened when-it is desired to deposit matter into the receptac e.-

Another object of the invention is to provide a foot actuated closure which can be applied to receptacles of all types and sizes.

A still further object resides in the provision of a device which will be simple, strong, durable and inexpensive to manufacture, efficient and reliable in operation and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a suitable receptacle provided with a lid operating device constructed in accordance with this invention, showing the lid in closed position; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the lid in open position; and Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view through a portion of the top of the receptacle.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 represents a garbage receptacle, and

annular flange 3 extending downwardly from the lower side thereof said flange 3 fitting snugly within the walls of the can 1 as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings,

hinged at 5 to the rear whereby to hold the cover plate 2 to the can 1. This flange 3 may, if desired, be dlspensed with and other means substituted therefor for securing the cover plate to the can. The cover plate 2 is provided with a substantially semi-circular opening 4 and edge of the opening 4 1s a closure or lid 6.

Secured tothe plate 2 in the rear of the openlng 4 in any convenient manner is a strip of metal 7 the front end of which is bent upwardly and backwardly and then twisted transversely as at 8 to form a bracket 10. A lever 11 is pivoted at 12 at a point intermediate its ends, to the upper end of the bracket 10. As shown, this lever 11 is formed of a plate disposed in a vertical plane, and extending laterally from the upper edge of the same is a flange 13 whlch provides a convenient handle for inserting and removing the coverplate 2 to and from the can 1. The front end of the lever 11 is connected to the closure 6 at a point spaced forwardly from the hinge 5 by a link 14:.

The rear end of the strip of metal 7 is bent around the rear edge of the plate 2, and depends below the latter in a substantially upright position, to provide a support 15. At 16 near'the lower end of the support 15 is pivoted one end of the lever 17, the other end of which is twisted and provided with a foot step 18. As clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, this lever 17 is curved longitudinally forwardly so that the step 18 is disposed adjacent one side of the can 1. Connected at one end to the lever 11 at 19, at its rear end which projects beyond the rear edge of the plate 2, 1s a w re link 20, the other end of the lat ter being connected at 21 to the lever 17 at a point intermediate its ends.

From the foregoing it may be seen that whenever the foot step 18 is pressed by the foot, the lever 17 is moved downwardly, thereby, through the medium of the link 20, moving the rear end of the lever 11 downwardly. This obviously raises the front end of the lever 11 which in turn opens the closure or lid 6, whereby rubbish, garbage, or the like, may be deposited in the can 1. To close the lid 6 when the pressure has been removed from the step 18, a coil spring 22 is connected at its upper end to tl e upper end of the support 15 as at 23, and at its lower end to the lever 17 at a point bemany purposes for which it may be used.

In its use in connection with garbage or rubbish receptacles, it is extremely convenient and sanitary.

The accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of one Way in which the invention may be constructed as it is obvious that various changes in form and proportion may be made without departing froin the spirit of the inventiop -and hence we do not wish to confine durselves to the construction herein shown and described other than that set forth in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. 'A device of the character described comprising a cover plate having an opening therein, a hinged closure for said opening, a bracket secured to said plate adjacent the hinge of said closure, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to said bracket, a link connecting one end of said lever withssaid closure, a support secured to the edge of said plate and depending below the same, a foot lever pivoted at one of its ends to the lower end of said support, an additional link connecting the other end of the first mentioned lever with said foot lever at a point intermediate the ends of the latter, and a coil spring connecting the upper end of said support with said foot lever.

2. A device of the character described comprising a cover plate having means for securing the same to a receptacle and provided with an opening-therein near one side thereof, a hinged closure for said opening, a strip of metal secured to the other side of said plate, a bracket extending upwardly from the inner end of said strip adjacent the hinge of said closure, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to said bracket, a link connecting the inner end of said lever with said closure, the other end of saidstrip being bent around the edge of said plate and depending below the latter to form a support, a foot lever pivoted at one of its ends to the lower/end of said support, anadditional link connecting the outer end of the first mentioned lever and said foot lever at a point intermediate the ends of the latter, and a coil spring connecting the upper end of said support with said foot lever.

3. A device of the character described comprising a cover plate having means for securing the same to a receptacle and prosaid support, said lever being curved longitudinally forwardly and having its other end disposed adjacent one side of said receptacle, an additional link connecting the rear end of the first mentioned lever with said foot lever at a point intermediate the ends of the latter, and a coil spring connecting the upper end of said support with said foot lever.

4. A device of the character described comprising a cover plate having an opening therein, a hinged closure for said opening, a bracket secured to said plate adjacent the hinge of said closure, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to said bracket, a flange extending laterally from the upper edge of said lever to provide a handle for said plate, a support depending from said plate, a foot lever pivoted to said support, links connecting the ends of the first mentioned lever with said closure and said foot lever respectively, and spring means for retaining the latter in its normal position.

' In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

"WILLIAM J. LEGAT. JOHN T. DUGAN. Witnesses:

EDWARD SEFTON, EDWARD P. STACK. 

